Follower-block.



N0- 827,957. PATENTED AUG. 7, 1906.

' B. c. BRADLEY.

FOLLOWER BLOCK.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 27, 1904.

A 4 i a? & Y

| uHHiWMHWNHP t 1. 1% O o 0 2:: o v 0 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

BYRON C. BRADLEY, OF BRADLEY, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO DAVID BRADLEY MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS,

A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

FOLLOWER-BLOCK.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. '7, 1 906..

To all whont if; 7I7/LL7/ concern.-

Be it known that I, BYRON C. BRADLEY, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Bradley, in the county of Kankakee and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Follower-Blocks, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawmgs.

My invention relates to follower-blocks for hay-presses, and has principally for its object to provide a new and improved followerblock which will be of such construction that the slots for the wires used in tying the bale may always be easily found; also to provide a follower-block which will not be engaged by the tension devices by means of which the degree of compression of the bale is controlled and which will prevent the packing of the hay around the edges of the block.

A further object is to provide new and improved tension devices for the baling-chamber arranged to cooperate with my improved follower-block.

I accomplish these objects as illustrated in the accompanying drawings and as hereinafter described.

What I regard as new is set forth in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a view of one side of myimproved block. Fig. 2 is an edge view thereof, partly in section. Fig. 3 is a horizontal section on line 3 3 of Figs. 1 and 2'. Fig. 4 is an enlarged plan view of one of the bosses. Fig. 5 is a section on line 5 5 of Fig. 4. Fig. 6 is a horizontal section on line 6 6 of Fig. 4. Fig. 7 is a partial vertical section on line 7 7 of Fig. 1, and Fig. 8 is a perspective view illustrating the baling-chamber of a hay-press to show my improved tension devices in connection with the follower-block.

Referring to the drawings, 8 indicates the follower-block, which in the construction shown is built up of a series of plates, there being a continuous plate or board 9 and outer plates or boards 10 11 12 13 at each side thereof, as best shown in Fig. 2. The outer margins of the end plates 10 and 13 are flush with the upper and lower ed es, respectively, of the central plate 9; T e intermediate plates 11 and 12 are fitted between the plates 1'0 and 13, all of said plates being spaced slightly apart to form a series of transverse passages or slots 14 15 16. The slots at opposite sides of the follower-block are in line with each other, as shown in Fig. 2. The abutting edges of the different plates 10 11 12 13 are beveled or undercut, so that the inner portions of said slots are wider than the outer portions thereof, as shown in Fig. 7.

17 indicates iron face-plates secured on one side of the follower-block, as shown in Figs. 1 2, and 7. In practice the follower-block is placed in the press so that the side having the face-plates 17 is next to the plunger, the function of said plates being to protect the follower-block from damage by reason of the impact of the plunger.

As shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the follower-block is provided at each side edge with a series of marginal projections, which in the best embodiment of my invention are bosses 18, which project a short distance beyond the edges of the block. Said bosses are somewhat conical inform and are secured in suitable sockets provided in the edges of the follower-block between opposite slots 14 15 16.

Said bosses are secured in position by screws register with the different slots 14 15 16, so that said grooves practically form continuations of said slots. The grooves 21 are shaped similarly to said slots and serve as bushings for the ends thereof.

The follower-block itself is made somewhat smaller than the cross-sectional dimensions of the baling-chamber, so that considerable space is provided around the side edges and the upper edge of the follower-block, thus preventing hay from getting jammed in between the follower-block and the frame of the press and hiding the slots. Moreover, as the bosses project beyond the side edges of the block they are always easily fOUIld when it is desired to insert the wires for tying the bale.

For applying tension laterally to the bale and smoothing the bale I provide lateral shoes 22, which are adjustably supported by wedge-blocks 23 24, carried by upper and lower 'straps 25 26, as shown in Fig. 8. The blocks 23 24 are fitted on bolts 27 28, having thumb-screws 29 30 for adjusting the top vided at each edge with grooves 21, which.

together the blocks 23 24 approach each ot er.

The shoes 22 are connected with the blocks 23 24 by lugs 33, which enter inclined grooves 34 in the sides of said blocks, as indicated in Fig. 8, so that when said blocks approach each other the shoes 22 are moved inward and when said blocks separate the shoes move outward. The devices for supporting and adjusting the shoes with the top and bottom plates are fully described and claimed in my application of even date herewith, and consequently are not herein claimed.

As shown in Fig. 8, the inner surfaces of the shoes 22, along a central longitudinal line, are made concave, thereby providing longitudinal channels, as shown at 35 in Fig. 8. Said channels are so placed that the central bosses 18 of the division-block pass through them as the block moves through the balingchamber. The upper and lower portions of the shoes 22 bear upon the bale, but do not engage the edges of the block, for the reason that, as already described, the dimensions of baling-chamber. In order to permit of the free passage of the upper and lower bosses, the shoes 22 are made narrow'enough so that spaces or passages 36 37 remain between the upper and lower edges of said shoes and the angle-irons 38, which in the construction illustrated form the supports for the upper and lower plates 31 32. The upper and lower bosses 18 register with said passages 36 37. Consequently the division-blocks are not engaged by the tension devices, and therefore danger of breaking the press by reason of the jamming of the division-blocks therein is avoided.

As shown in Fig. 8, the shoes 22 are provided with central openings 39, through which access may readily be had to the division-block or to the bale for any desired purose.

p While I have described in detail the embodiment of my invention illustrated in the accompanying drawings, I wish it to be understood that I do not restrict myself to the specific details of the construction described, except in so far as they are particularly claimed, as my invention includes generically the subject-matter of the broader claims.

It will be understood, of course, that by the term marginal projections I mean projections which extend beyond the side edges or lateral margins of the division-block.

That which I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. A boss for follower-blocks having diametrically opposite grooves.

2. A follower-block havin a lateral slot, and a boss carried at one of t e side edges of said block, said boss having a groove which registers with said slot.

3. A follower-block having lateral slots, and bosses at the side edges of said block,

I said bosses having grooves registering with said blocks are somwhat less than those of the said slots.

4. A follower-block having lateral slots, and projecting bosses at the side edges of said block, said bosses having grooves registering with said slots. 7

5. The combination of a baling-chamber, a follower-block having lateral projections, and a shoe adapted to bear on the bale at opposite sides of one of said projections, said shoe having a channel for the passage of the projection.

BYRON C. BRADLEY. Witnesses:

F. W. BECKNELL, W. R. BOND. 

